This region gets its name from the sea it surrounds: the Sea of Marmara, a part of Mediterranean Sea, connected to Aegean Sea via Dardanelles, and to Black Sea via Bosporus. The Sea of Marmara is considered as the geographical border between [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]: northern coasts of it are in Europe, while southern/eastern coasts are in Asia.

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This region gets its name from the sea it surrounds: the Sea of Marmara, connected to Aegean Sea via Dardanelles, and to Black Sea via Bosporus. The Sea of Marmara is considered as the geographical border between [[Europe]] and [[Asia]]: northern coasts of it are in Europe, while southern/eastern coasts are in Asia. In addition to the Sea of Marmara, the region has coastlines on Black Sea to northeast and Aegean Sea to southwest.

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The [[Eastern Thrace|northwestern/European part]] of the region is one of few wide lowlands in the country, with the occasional gently sloping hill, except southwestern and northeastern coasts which are dominated by hilly areas. [[Southern Marmara|South]] and [[Eastern Marmara|east]] parts of the region is more mountainous, or hilly at least. While Marmara Region is second smallest Turkish region in size (with only [[Southeastern Anatolia]] being smaller), it is actually only a bit smaller than [[Ireland|Ireland]] or [[Netherlands]] and [[Belgium]] combined.

This region is Turkey’s most populous and most heavily industrialized part, though you can still find primordial forests hardly seen by human eyes here and there.

This region is Turkey’s most populous and most heavily industrialized part, though you can still find primordial forests hardly seen by human eyes here and there.

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Travellers often overlook Marmara Region except for [[Istanbul]] and a few sites in southwest and southeast of the region, but there is not really a reason why they should—in addition to quite friendly and open locals, fairly good transportation links throughout and temperate climate which make travelling in the region a breeze, you will certainly find something to catch your glimpse in any part of this region, where empires have made their debut and have seen their fall, and where dense urban areas and farmlands interact with untouched wilderness beautifully.

==Talk==

==Talk==

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While it is possible to come upon a village founded by immigrants from [[Balkans]] in early 1900s where old people speak Pomak dialect of [[Bulgarian phrasebook|Bulgarian]] or some other Balkan language in the region, [[Turkish phrasebook|Turkish]] is by far the most common and the most useful language in the region, as is in most of Turkey.

==Get in==

==Get in==

===By air===

===By air===

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'''Atatürk International Airport''' ('''IST''') in [[Istanbul/Western Suburbs|western]] [[Istanbul]] is the main gateway for the city, the region, and the country as well. The other international airport in the region is '''Sabiha Gökçen''' ('''SAW'''), situated in [[Istanbul/Asian Side|eastern Istanbul]], largely prefered by low-cost airlines. '''[[Corlu]] Airport''' ('''TEQ''') is used by airlines flying from ex-USSR countries. Other airports in the region are located in [[Bursa]] and [[Canakkale]].

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'''Atatürk International Airport''' ('''IST''') in [[Istanbul/Western Suburbs|western]] [[Istanbul]] is the main gateway for the city, the region, and the country as well. The other international airport in the region is '''Sabiha Gökçen''' ('''SAW'''), situated in [[Istanbul/Asian Side|eastern Istanbul]], largely prefered by low-cost airlines. '''[[Corlu]] Airport''' ('''TEQ''') is used by airlines flying from ex-USSR countries. Other airports in the region are located in [[Bursa]] and [[Çanakkale]].

===By train===

===By train===

Line 64:

Line 68:

==Get around==

==Get around==

===By air===

===By air===

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While there are more than one airport in the region, given the region's relative small size and the relative short distance between the airports make transportation by plane practically impossible. The only feasible (and, operating) air service totally within the region is between [[Istanbul]] and [[Canakkale]].

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While there are more than one airport in the region, given the region's relative small size and the relative short distance between the airports make transportation by plane practically impossible. The only feasible (and, operating) air service totally within the region is between [[Istanbul]] and [[Çanakkale]].

===By bus===

===By bus===

Line 76:

Line 80:

==See==

==See==

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Being the location which both Byzantine and Ottoman Empires centred around, Marmara Region has quite a lot of imperial monuments from each. While Byzantine monuments are mostly in [[Istanbul]] with a number of intact artifacts in historically important, but nowadays provincial towns such as [[Iznik|İznik]] and [[Vize]]. Ottoman monuments, on the other hand, while can be found almost anywhere in the region, are best seen in [[Bursa]], [[Edirne]], and Istanbul&mdash;the three consecutive capitals of the empire.

Understand

This region gets its name from the sea it surrounds: the Sea of Marmara, connected to Aegean Sea via Dardanelles, and to Black Sea via Bosporus. The Sea of Marmara is considered as the geographical border between Europe and Asia: northern coasts of it are in Europe, while southern/eastern coasts are in Asia. In addition to the Sea of Marmara, the region has coastlines on Black Sea to northeast and Aegean Sea to southwest.

The northwestern/European part of the region is one of few wide lowlands in the country, with the occasional gently sloping hill, except southwestern and northeastern coasts which are dominated by hilly areas. South and east parts of the region is more mountainous, or hilly at least. While Marmara Region is second smallest Turkish region in size (with only Southeastern Anatolia being smaller), it is actually only a bit smaller than Ireland or Netherlands and Belgium combined.

This region is Turkey’s most populous and most heavily industrialized part, though you can still find primordial forests hardly seen by human eyes here and there.

Travellers often overlook Marmara Region except for Istanbul and a few sites in southwest and southeast of the region, but there is not really a reason why they should—in addition to quite friendly and open locals, fairly good transportation links throughout and temperate climate which make travelling in the region a breeze, you will certainly find something to catch your glimpse in any part of this region, where empires have made their debut and have seen their fall, and where dense urban areas and farmlands interact with untouched wilderness beautifully.

Talk

While it is possible to come upon a village founded by immigrants from Balkans in early 1900s where old people speak Pomak dialect of Bulgarian or some other Balkan language in the region, Turkish is by far the most common and the most useful language in the region, as is in most of Turkey.

Get in

By air

Atatürk International Airport (IST) in westernIstanbul is the main gateway for the city, the region, and the country as well. The other international airport in the region is Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), situated in eastern Istanbul, largely prefered by low-cost airlines. Corlu Airport (TEQ) is used by airlines flying from ex-USSR countries. Other airports in the region are located in Bursa and Çanakkale.

By bus

All cities and many towns in Turkey has direct daily bus services to Istanbul. Many cities neighbouring Balkan countries also has bus links to the city. Bursa, by virtue of being a big city, is also served from a large number of cities and towns throughout Turkey.

By car

Marmara Region is well linked to neighbouring regions and countries by a motorway and highway network.

By boat

There is a weekly ferry service to Istanbul from Izmir during summer months.

Get around

By air

While there are more than one airport in the region, given the region's relative small size and the relative short distance between the airports make transportation by plane practically impossible. The only feasible (and, operating) air service totally within the region is between Istanbul and Çanakkale.

By bus

There is an extensive bus network between towns and cities of the region, and any town with a considerable population (say, >10,000), has a direct bus service to Istanbul.

By boat

There is an extensive network of ferry and fast ferry lines connecting northern and southern coast of the Sea of Marmara, cutting travel time dramatically. Most fast ferry lines fan out of Istanbul towards towns and cities on the southern coast, while conventional ferries can be found between almost any town on the northern and southern coasts (such as Tekirdağ-Gemlik line, which traverses almost the whole sea northwest to southeast).

See

Being the location which both Byzantine and Ottoman Empires centred around, Marmara Region has quite a lot of imperial monuments from each. While Byzantine monuments are mostly in Istanbul with a number of intact artifacts in historically important, but nowadays provincial towns such as İznik and Vize. Ottoman monuments, on the other hand, while can be found almost anywhere in the region, are best seen in Bursa, Edirne, and Istanbul—the three consecutive capitals of the empire.